Legal Gambling Age
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What age is considered legal across each state?
No matter where you are in the world, gambling is legal in most places. This includes most of the states in the US.
While federal laws apply, each state is its separate entity and decides what kind of gambling is allowed versus what is not. Often though, there is an age requirement that goes along with it. Each state chooses to either allow players to play at the age of 18 or 21.
Age requirements may vary depending on the type of gambling like gambling in a casino, claiming a online casino no-deposit bonus, or buying lottery tickets. Until they reach legal age, their parents are responsible for them and their actions. That means that if a person had a gambling debt, their parents would have to pay it for them. This is why in most places, the legal gambling age is set to 21 years.
This chart shows you the legal gambling age in every US State. Find out how old you have to be to gamble at casinos, bet on sports, and online.
|
State |
Casino |
Poker |
Bingo |
Lottery |
Horse Racing |
Sports Betting |
|
Alabama Online Gambling |
21 |
19 |
18 |
- |
18 |
- |
|
Alaska Online Gambling |
21 |
- |
19 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Arizona Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
- |
|
Arkansas Sports Betting Arkansas Online Casino Gambling |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
California Online Gambling |
18/21 |
18/21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Colorado Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Connecticut Online Casinos Connecticut Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Delaware Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Florida Sports Betting |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Georgia Sports Betting |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Hawaii Online Gambling |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
- |
|
Idaho Online Gambling |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Illinois Online Casinos Illinois Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Indiana Online Casinos, Indiana Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Iowa Online Casinos Iowa Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
21 |
21 |
21 |
|
Kansas Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Kentucky Online Gambling |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Louisiana Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
21 |
18 |
- |
|
Maine Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Maryland Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Massachusetts Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Michigan Sports Betting |
18/21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Minnesota Sports Betting |
18/21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Mississippi Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
- |
18 |
21 |
|
Missouri Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Montana Online Gambling |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
|
Nebraska Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
18 |
19 |
18 |
- |
|
Nevada Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
21 |
- |
21 |
21 |
|
New Hampshire Online Gambling |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
|
New Jersey Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
New Mexico Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
New York Sports Betting |
18/21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18/21 |
|
North Carolina Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
North Dakota Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Ohio Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Oklahoma Online Gambling |
18/21 |
18/21 |
16 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Oregon Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18/21 |
|
Pennsylvania Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Rhode Island Online Gambling |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
South Carolina Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
- |
- |
|
South Dakota Online Gambling |
21 |
21 |
- |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Tennessee Sports Betting |
21 |
- |
18 |
18 |
- |
21 |
|
Texas Online Casinos |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
- |
|
Utah Online Gambling |
18 |
18 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Vermont Online Gambling |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
|
Virginia Sports Betting |
- |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
Washington Online Gambling |
18/21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Washington DC Online Gambling |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
- |
|
West Virginia Online Casinos West Virginia Sports Betting |
21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
21 |
|
Wisconsin Online Gambling |
18/21 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
- |
- |
|
Wyoming Online Gambling |
18 |
21 |
18 |
18 |
- |
- |
The state of Georgia prohibits gambling. However, if you are on a cruise and are 18 years or older, you can bet when the ship heads away from the coast.
If you are wondering, one of the main reasons why casinos set an age limit of 21 is whether they serve alcohol or not. Mostly, tribal casinos allow people at the age of 18 to play; they include California, Florida (Tribal casinos: bingo and poker), Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin (2 tribal casinos only), and Wyoming.
Other Countries: Minimum Age Required To Gamble
Let’s take a look at some of the countries and their minimum ages to gamble.
|
Australia |
|
|
Brazil |
Illegal since 1948 Exceptions: Poker at home, horse racing |
|
Canada |
|
|
Europe |
|
|
India |
Each state has their own law |
|
Japan |
|
|
New Zealand |
|
|
Russia |
|
|
United Kingdom |
Exceptions: Lotteries, Soccer Pools |
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Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers
What is the legal gambling age in Las Vegas?
In Las Vegas, you have to be at least 21 years old to gamble.
What is the legal gambling age in California?
In California, you have to be at least 18 years old to gamble. However, because most casinos offer alcohol, you will need to be 21 years to enter them.
Is the gaming industry governed by federal law?
Yes! However, each state can place their own restrictions.
What is the minimum age requirement to gamble across the US?
Players can either be 18 or 21, depending on where they are located. The main reason for this is because most land-based casinos serve alcohol and that is why individuals need to be at least 21 years of age.
If I am not at the legal gambling age in my state, should I do it anyway?
Definitely not. Individuals who participate in underage gambling could be legally prosecuted and/or their guardians/parents could be questioned by authorities thus putting them into a lot of trouble. Find alternatives, such as sweepstakes casinos, and check with your local state authorities to know what is legally allowed and what is not.
I am 18 years old. Which states would allow me to go to a casino?
|
California |
A few card rooms and tribal casinos only |
|
Florida |
Tribal casinos: Poker and Bingo only |
|
Georgia |
Gambling on its offshore cruises only |
|
Idaho |
All Idaho casinos (few exceptions at some properties) |
|
Michigan |
Tribal casinos only |
|
Minnesota |
All Minnesota casinos (limited games available) |
|
Montana |
Tribal casinos only |
|
Oklahoma |
Tribal casinos only |
|
Washington |
Tribal casinos only |
|
Wyoming |
Tribal casinos only |
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